Quantitative assessment of earthquake-induced building damage at regional scale using LiDAR data

Regional-scale assessment of the damage caused by earthquakes to structures is crucial for post-disaster management. While remote sensing techniques can be of great help for a quick post-event structural assessment of large areas, currently available methods are limited to the detection of severely-damaged buildings. Furthermore, remote...

City-scale damage assessment using very-high-resolution SAR satellite imagery and building survey data for the 2021 Haiti earthquake

After an earthquake, a rapid identification of the damaged building stock is crucial to prioritise rescue operations, ensure primary services to the most affected regions and support reconstruction. Whilst in-situ reconnaissance missions provide invaluable data on the intensity and distribution of earthquake-induced structural damage, the...

Three-Dimensional Mapping of Habitats Using Remote-Sensing Data and Machine-Learning Algorithms

Progress toward habitat protection goals can effectively be performed using satellite imagery and machine-learning (ML) models at various spatial and temporal scales. In this regard, habitat types and landscape structures can be discriminated against using remote-sensing (RS) datasets. However, most existing research in three-dimensional (3D)...

Combining remote sensing techniques and field surveys for post-earthquake reconnaissance missions

Remote reconnaissance missions are promising solutions for the assessment of earthquake-induced structural damage and cascading geological hazards. Space-borne remote sensing can complement in-field missions when safety and accessibility concerns limit post-earthquake operations on the ground. However, the implementation of remote sensing...

Flood susceptibility mapping using multi-temporal SAR imagery and novel integration of nature-inspired algorithms into support vector regression

Flood has long been known as one of the most catastrophic natural hazards worldwide. Mapping flood-prone areas is an important part of flood disaster management. In this study, a flood susceptibility mapping framework was developed based on a novel integration of nature-inspired algorithms into support vector regression (SVR). To this end,...

Lessons for Remote Post-earthquake Reconnaissance from the 14 August 2021 Haiti Earthquake

On 14th August 2021, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the Tiburon Peninsula in the Caribbean nation of Haiti, approximately 150 km west of the capital Port-au-Prince. Aftershocks up to moment magnitude 5.7 followed and over 1,000 landslides were triggered. These events led to over 2,000 fatalities, 15,000 injuries and more than 137,000...

Documenting Impacts of Hydro-Meteorological Events Using Earth Observation

The ambition of H2020 OPERANDUM project is to develop and document Nature Based Solutions (NBS) to mitigate risks associated with hydro-meteorological (HM) hazards. NBS mitigate risks by reducing the vulnerability of a particular system. The aim of this work is to demonstrate the use of multisource remote sensing data in documenting the impact...